Friday, December 16th, 2005
Another Little Side Study - Talents
The three things:
- Is there a fact to believe here?
- Is there a promise to trust?
- Is there a command to obey?
Matthew 25:14-30
14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
22 "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
23 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
24 "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
26 "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28 " 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
Note: Now, I was thinking last night about how sin is like hiding the talent. If I have a gift, and I don’t use it, I stuck it in the ground and covered it up, letting it rot away. But here is another thought: what if I do the opposite of that talent (and I know that the opposite of doing is not doing, but work with me hear) – consider how someone may cuss and swear like that of a sailor… and then call themselves a Christian to spite all. But would that not be the opposite of a clean and wholesome life? One who lusts, that would be that of the do not lust scriptures throughout the bible. And in a sense, that would also be mocking God and shunning the talents God has given us. I would be guilty of the same sin of the one who buried the talent.
Talent (noun):
- A person who possesses unusual innate ability in some field or activity.
Weeping (adj.):
- To express emotion, such as grief or sadness, by shedding tears.
Gnashing (verb):
- To grind or strike (the teeth, for example) together.
- To bite (something) by grinding the teeth.
Surely I possess the ability to not cuss or swear, surely I possess the ability to be kind to others, and surely I have the ability to worship my God. That’s three talents already! And I know there are plenty more that I have been blessed with. I can see how people don’t enjoy the ability of being stricken with Bi-Polar disorder, but I think I have reached a point to where I am actually glad I have this condition. I mean, on the surface it somewhat stinks, but on the grand scheme of things, it causes me to push myself beyond my limits. I know I have to do certain things and by “forcing” myself to do them, I am glad for doing so. At the time, my heart grumbles and gripes, and I may not even voice my thoughts, but during and especially afterward, I look back with joy for doing so. I, for one, don’t want anything to do with weeping and gnashing of teeth. I don’t want darkness. I don’t have much, but what I do have, I am especially grateful for: I have God, family, and friends… is there anything more precious than that? Those are three more talents that we have for each other. I want to multiply those talents. I guess that is another way I can look at being fruitful. Have a great weekend, I may or may not be posting… only time will tell.
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